Comment Archives: Stories: News + Opinion: Education

Theyre waaaay past merging half-empty schools! They are now trying to merge high performing, low spending schools that have increasing enrollment trends. Some of these beautiful and flourishing schools like Montgomery, receive very little funding from the State on average. We should in-fact be used as models for academic success not bullied, coerced and oppressed into conformity with NO proof of economic savings or better academic opportunities.
These towns have had legallly warned votes, spend a GREAT DEAL more time and energy evaluating financial advantages than the State Board of Education has. Ive personally watched the SBE push through actions with little or NO research base evidence that negatively effect our rural familys and more importantly the innocent children they should be trying to protect. The parents, school board members and volunteers fighting to protect children and democracy are highly educated and see this legislations intent but realize the door for corruption and control has gone beyond the goals. Several of our legislators who created and voted for this bill are unhappy with its execution. The harm to our children as a result, especially in towns that strongly oppose merger with legally warned votes, should be their responsibility as well.

Fact: I know a child who was killed while traveling to get to school. Nothing more needs to be said.

Recent events in the news, should be a concern to everyone. Motorists and school buses.

A study was conducted, most of schools infastruction er systems are out of date and need to be revamped.
Who knows how much this will cost taxpayers to make these changes to bring these schools up to the 20th century and code. I wonder if you would still complain about your taxes $ then? As this was being "look into".

Ask anyone who is thinking about moving here what they like about our state? Most likely their response would be, they like the people, small towns and small schools. We will not attract young families to move here if the schools are closed down.

If a school opposes consolidation, fine. As long as it withdraws from state funding. Governor Scott is a hero for taking on this issue and taking on the notorious NEA. It makes no fiscal sense to keep paying for so many half-empty buildings to educate fewer and fewer students each year.

You can fight consolidation, but there are a far greater number of taxpayers who are sick and tired of paying and who will fight you right back. Fiscal responsibility matters.

Please take into consideration how these mergers may affect the students, parents, teachers and communities. Many students have a lot of school pride and have attended these schools since they were in Pre-K. The schools also serve as a host for community events.

Some districts do not offer bussing, for this reason, another demographic challenge. Weather conditions (warranted), a factor which needs be taken into consideration prior to the decisions being made.

Especially with the winter season approaching as school delays/closures/early release approach. Not all families are dual households. Merging these schools may become a challenge for those who work the typical 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. In addition, accruing transportation and vehicle expenses to travel to a different district. Those who are being told, they need to merge. If bussing is available that would ideal but most likely, not an option. (Shortage of Drivers).

At one point there was a discussion of the possibly changing the hour of the school day. Please take the students into consideration. From the time when their typical school day starts, add travel, their actual school day, after school activities/events/functions and then their homework. These students already have a full day.

Science is real. Each of us, except if there is a mutation, is born with chromosomes and genitalia indicating our sex. To say this isn't so is not "hateful," it is a fact. "Transgender" is akin to religiosity and fantasy--in layman's terms, "NUTS." What you really have here are people with serious psychological problems. The fact that the majority has stood silent for fear of being labeled "hateful" or "transphobic" or whatever other silly moniker the Left comes up with is the more serious issue. But, from the looks of the polls today, all indications are that the "quiet Vermonter" is not quite as so-called "progressive" as this article (or the defensive commenter who thinks people who object to facts are "bigots") would like to believe.

I can tell you I was a BHS graduate although in that day, Williston, had no High School. I can tell you the miserable time I had as a student even being suicidal. I saw a teacher slap the face of a 15 year old student with impunity. I suffered two years in Geometry with a man who was really not a teacher and my grades both years F.
I saw a teacher actually throw a boy down a flight of stairs. I saw little in the way of disciplining any teacher and certainly not one in guidance. I look back now in disgust at the education I did NOT receive at BHS. And yes, I recall the mindless support for US in Viet Nam where to recruit boys (not girls), a military recruiter said any boy who would not serve HIS country was a coward and yes a Homosexual. Folks in that day that what BHS was and worse. Not time or any desire to rethink 1960-1964.
So, now when I see huge salaries to everybody including 100 grand to a food service director and 200 grand to a superintendent that was imported more than likely because of his skin color, I have to ask, folks its all the same just 50 plus years later and maybe the bathrooms are cleaner?

1) It stated with removing Mellencamp as BHS principal. It was vindictive.
2) Next came new hires principals that were no longer vetted by student/staff/teacher/community member groups during the hiring process.
3) Obeng hired Macias and after a year, ignored the resignations of almost of the guidance dept and the school board only allowed each 2 minutes to say why they were leaving.
4) OBeng stopped the exit interview process for departing teachers and staff.
5) Obeng hires Ranacot who was initially lost managing the high school and when Ranicot tried to discipline Macias for stalking a substitute teacher, Obeng reduced it to to a letter in Macias' file.
6) After a 20 year relationship between UVM guidance program and BHS< UVM pulled the plug due to Macias and unprofessional conduct.
7) The DOE -- the same agency that seldom to never investigates schools unless begged....believed there were violations sufficient to investigate and when the school board did not.
8) Central office is overloaded with former principals Some good, some incompetent.
9) Obeng supports Green in violating Vt law when Green censored the BHS registry.
10 the Obeng-Macias conspiracy is exposed and THANK GOD--the new school board moves to immediately suspend Macias when he should have been dismissed 18 months ago.
11) data is showing we poorer performance than 3 years ago.
11) Time for the school board to advertise search for a new superintendent.

While the Superintendent is proving to be seriously incompetent in his duties - the blame for this quagmire is with the crack squad of school commissioners who have been on the board over the past 8 or so years. People like Porter, Seguino and Curry have zero understanding of how to improve student outcomes, and should never have been in a position of governing a district like Burlington. Good luck to the newly elected board in cleaning up their mess.

Thank you 7 Days for the piece on Julia. Very timely for families considering post-high school life.

We went to her event in South Burlington HS a few years ago and found it very interesting about providing another path after high school. We used her services but eventually decided not to do the Gap Year program and concluded it was money well-spent. Considering how expensive college is these days and the debt burden these kids come out with, it's a viable alternative to having to spend another year in college after switching majors. If a Gap Year can help kids explore their interests before going to college, that's great! And not all of her programs are super expensive, some work exchanges provide housing and meals for no cost.

And please stop with the snowflake derogatory comments as these kids don't deserve it. Most of the kids I've been around are bright, talented and diverse. They are our future and they do know how the world works.

Interesting article . My first thought was the usual old fart reaction , how utterly self-indulgent these little snowflakes are . Reading the article and thinking a little more , perhaps entering university with no idea what you want or where you are going isn't ideal either . Perhaps a year to figure out your goals and aspirations is not a bad idea . University is a fortune and perhaps not the best place to find yourself .
My biggest issue is Ms Roger's ignoring the option of actually WORKING at a paying JOB instead of travelling the world . Perhaps that's a better use of this gap year for many. Actual work is a very good way of finding out how the world actually operates .

i am confused by this article. Who is Perkins? Is this the Mrs. Emily Proctor Eggelston first referred to? Is Proctor supposed to be Perkins? When referred to as Eggelston alone in one sentence, is this Emily Proctor Eggelston, or is it Emily Perkins Eggelston? With such a charged subject, it would help to be clearer.